Prevent Avian Influenza From Spreading by Imposing Quarantine

Quarantines are being imposed to prevent avian influenza, also known as bird flu, from spreading. According to sources, many steps and tests are being taken by the state to prevent further exposure of the virus.

The avian influenza virus was analyzed by Chinese researchers, from poultry produced from bird markets in 2013. The researchers discovered an unfamiliar H5N9 virus, which represents a cross between a H7N9 human virus and a H5N1 avian flu virus which is pathogenic, with additional elements. The researchers took samples from one duck, seven chickens, one quail, and two bird markets where the H7N9 cases occurred located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, the birds did not occur to be sick according to a recent report taken on June 17.

In the U.S., Pennsylvania is imposing a quarantine which prevents avian influenza from spreading by using strict testing on eggs and poultry, that which have been domestically shipped from various states including cases with the bird flu. They are also testing shipments which have been previously tested and their results were free from the virus.

The avian influenza began in December 2014, and 48 million birds such as laying hens and turkeys have died from the virus. According to reports, 20 states have reported carrying the disease. Although no viruses have been reported in Pennsylvania, the closest the state has come to getting the virus is from Macomb County, Michigan, which is 150 miles from Erie, Pennsylvania.

The flu has caused the prices of eggs to go up, and in some parts of the country there has been a shortage of eggs. The Pennsylvania quarantine requires poultry, eggs and live birds from states with avian influenza that are moving en route to commercial operations to stay in a 72-hour quarantine. Requirements of the quarantine include testing, paperwork and reports of information to clarify whether or not shipments have negative results. Agriculture secretary Russell Redding told sources, “as avian influenza continues to move towards the east coast the state has increased their protocol monitors to secure the $13 billion poultry industry ran by Pennsylvania.”

While Pennsylvania continuously runs tests on eggs passing through their route, they are not the only ones taken precautions to cease the virus. China and Israel have both made reports about the procedures of their quarantine.

The Chinese has reported 20 outbreaks of H5N1 since 2014 of October. Israel reported a H5N1 outbreak near their community of Bezet on May 12, regarding an outbreak that began May 8. The two countries have quarantines that consist of controlling the poultry movement, as well as various steps to help contain the disease, plus culling and disinfecting. Israel’s outbreak reported an involvement of a 17,200-bird turkey farm, located in the northern district of the country near the Mediterranean Sea; 10 and 100-week old turkeys living in two separate pens have died from the disease, and the rest are in a controlled vicinity.

Although Pennsylvania has had no reports of outbreaks, China and Israel have reported the most outbreaks. The two countries combined have domestic birds infected with the H5N1 avian influenza ranging from 15,000 to 17,000, according to the World Organization for Animal Health.

The largest live-bird farm has reported 3,800 deaths and 4,615 cases in the provinces of China. The virus has no effect on the health of humans. However, to keep birds from dying and getting case numbers to cease, imposing quarantines to prevent avian influenza from spreading by putting a control on the virus keeps birds from possibly going extinct.